Some students have had problems with the removal of some upper level courses in the College of Arts and Sciences, but officials say the problem is not as severe as some students may think.
Bill Demastes, Arts and Sciences associate dean, said there are certain minimum class size requirements set by the University.
According to Policy Statement PS-37, courses numbered below 4000 must have a minimum of 15 students, courses numbered between 4000 and 4999 must have 10 students and courses numbered above 5000 must have at least five students.
Demastes said in the past, instructors were able to waive these requirements, but the college has always asked departments to abide by these policies.
Demastes said problems with classes being removed may be more noticeable this year because instructors may not be as willing to waive these requirements.
Tom DiNapoli, undergraduate adviser for the German department, said the department has dropped one 3000-level course due to under-enrollment.
“The college has become much stricter regarding under-enrolled classes,” DiNapoli said.
Demastes said the college makes it clear to individual departments that they should not “pull the carpet out from under students,” and there must be clear justification for cutting classes, especially those required for graduation.
DiNapoli said some confusion may have come because occasionally, some courses were listed online that are actually not offered.
DiNapoli said the computer system automatically reschedules courses offered that semester for the next semester. For example, a course offered in the fall will automatically be listed as being available in the spring. The courses remain until a department official deletes them from the course offerings.
DiNapoli said he knew two German courses that were listed and not offered, but that they were not cut.
“They were never intended to be offered in the first place,” DiNapoli said.
Demastes said if a course is cut, the department should notify students as soon as possible and help them find a suitable alternative, whether it be another course or an independent study option.
Michael El Koubi, a history and German senior, said his German literature class was cut earlier in the semester. El Koubi estimated it was about three weeks into the semester when the class was cut.
El Koubi said the instructor originally took on the course as an overload, but eventually set the 4000-level course up as an independent study.
El Koubi said he is concerned about the quality of the degree he will receive.
“The real issue is whether we want the arts and sciences degree to be worth anything,” El Koubi said. “When you start cutting classes, will the degree be worth anything and will the degree get respect?”
Demastes said if students feel departments are not informing them of class changes, they should report it to the dean’s office.
“We can give them the assistance they need,” Demastes said.
Brandon Mabile, a political science senior, said he had not had any experience with any of his classes being cut, but felt the college should do something to ensure students graduating on time.
“If it’s going to keep people from graduating, then they shouldn’t cut them,” Mabile said.
DiNapoli also said students should contact him or other department officials if they have any concerns or questions.
“We’re a small program, and we know most of the students,” DiNapoli said. “They can always come by my office or email me.”